The Systems Department of the Library has enjoyed a productive and exciting year.
MAJOR COMPLETED INITIATIVES FOR 2003-2004:
OpenURL/Link Resolver: LinkSource. After careful consideration and testing, we decided to purchase EBSCO�s LinkSource product as our link resolver. We spent the majority of August and some of September getting the service configured for use by the university community. The project has been very successful and has been built into all the aggregated databases to which we subscribe.
E-Journals Management System: EBSCO A-to-Z. In conjunction with the link resolver project above, we selected EBSCO�s A-to-Z product as our journal listing service. Our patrons can now easily browse our available electronic and print journals from one location.
Enhanced Public Computing Access: XP Migration. University Computing migrated all the public and lab PCs? to the Windows XP operating system during spring 2004. We continue to be interested in pursuing the possibility of installing thin clients (instead of PCs?) and utilizing Citrix technology for ease of use and management of the PCs?. Faculty and staff machines are yet to be migrated as of this writing.
Print Queue at Reference. A print queue was installed on the reference area PCs? as well as the CyberCaf?� machines to balance the printing load on the two first floor printers and to manage the printing jobs from a central location. We continue to refine the process as of this writing.
Library Discussion Server/Weblog. We continue to experiment with various modes of electronic communication for the library faculty and staff. A staff wiki was established in 2002-2003 and we are using it for several purposes. In addition, we are actively pursuing the use of weblogs as a way to disseminate information and solicit input. Thus far, weblogs have been set up for information literacy discussion, distance education and liaison discussion (strategic planning).
Computer upgrades. The Library continues to upgrade and improve access to computing power for faculty and staff. This fiscal year brought flat panel monitors to the service areas. A formal request to add computers in the public area was sent to University Computing (attached), although no action was taken.
Technology Budget. Due to a lack of bonded monies, the library was not allocated any new funds this year. We spent the last of the 2002-2003 funds on new desktops for 3 staff members, as well as needed memory for migrating existing PCs? to XP.
Web page activity. A look at the LiveStats? web statistics shows that from August 2003 until May 2004, the web pages logged more than 500,000 visits from on and off campus. The most common page views during these visits were the index page (library homepage) with 207,587; Joan Reitz�s dictionary (ODLIS) with 146,016 hits; and the databases page with 35,957. More detail is available in the LiveStats? pages attached to this report.
Database Usage. The raw statistics are available at http://149.152.216.200/staff/stats and are attached. A quick snapshot shows us that Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) still accounts for more than 25% of our total database usage, followed by EBSCO Combined Databases, JSTOR and Lexis-Nexis, with less than 10% each. One of our newest services, however, the A-to-Z Journal Locator from EBSCO has broken into the top 10 and accounts for nearly 5% of the database usage.
ERes?. The service continues to be popular with faculty, even with the advent of WebCT? on campus. There are now 198 registered account holders and over 200 course pages. The Systems Librarian has been nominally involved in the WebCT? roll-out and will continue to monitor the level of sustained interest in ERes?.
ILLiad?. We continued to keep current with upgrades and new features of this program.
GOALS & INITIATIVES 2004-2005:
Budget & Access request. The systems department is submitting a request (attached) to achieve greater independence and flexibility in pursuing new initiatives, programs and services. We are confident in our ability to bring the libraries even further forward in terms of technology, but we must have resources to do so.
Web page development. Continuing development and maintenance of the library�s web site is essential to the educational and informational mission of the library. The Web Page Committee will look into new delivery and presentation media. We will also be working on a way to move all our current web links to a database for easier maintenance.
Online instructional tutorials. The Systems department will work with the Business and Reference Librarians to create prototype online tutorials/instructional presentations, initially to serve our Ancell School of Business students. This program could expand into appropriate web-based presentations for distance and extension site students, as well as for on-campus student population.
Computer upgrades. The Library will continue to upgrade and improve access to computing power for faculty and staff as appropriate and necessary. We intend to resubmit our proposal to add computers to the public areas of the library.
Printer upgrades. We continue to pursue the purchase and installation of HP9000s that are more heavy-duty and can accommodate 2000-sheet input trays.
Continued Research & Development. We will continue to review, test and analyze new services and technological opportunities for the library.